Throwing down the gauntlet

[Tidepool]

Cierra Burdick (U. Tenn.): ''I think hands down we have the best frontcourt in the country." As an elite athlete, you have gotta have confidence, but still ....

http://msn.foxsports.com/wcbk/story/Lady-Vols-ready-to-compete-for-championships-again-56362038

 

[Phil]

hands down? That's a little over the top.

 

[pinotbear]

Yeah, I think it's cute when children optimistically believe in the tooth fairy, Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, and the "hands down" superiority of the UT frontcourt.

 

[UConnCat]

hands down? That's a little over the top.

Exactly.

Russell, Burdick and Graves >>>> Dolson, Mosqueda-Lewis and Stewart? I don't think so. Results suggest otherwise.

 

[Icebear]

hands down? That's a little over the top.

Yup. Should wait until you have made it to at least one Final Four in the last 5 years.

Dolson, Stewart, KML. Yeah, TN definitely is hands down better than that front court.

 

[diggerfoot]

I don't have a problem with Burdick thinking that; she should as a competitive athlete. We can haggle over how Tuck matches up with whoever becomes their first post off the bench, and it could be that the junior or senior Russell will be better than the senior Dolson. But right now we have the best center in wcbb and the best player slotted at the 4. If we extend out to small forward we only become more formidable to the competition with KML. To use Burdick's phrase, in the absence of injuries we are "hands down" the best frontcourt in wcbb, not just overall, but each at their respective position. I'm going to sound like TonyC now, but in the absence of injuries I suspect we set a new record for margin of victory this year, all in double digits.

 

[HGN]

I like Burdick's confidence and bravado..........But I like the steller results and proof (NC Trophy) of Dolson, KML , and Stewart a whole lot more.

 

[Biff]

I'm going to sound like TonyC now, but in the absence of injuries I suspect we set a new record for margin of victory this year, all in double digits.

er...then that would be "double digets"

 

[Stray Cat]

Cierra Burdick (U. Tenn.): ''I think hands down we have the best frontcourt in the country." As an elite athlete, you have gotta have confidence, but still ....

http://msn.foxsports.com/wcbk/story/Lady-Vols-ready-to-compete-for-championships-again-56362038

Message for Ms. Burdick: You might want to curb your enthusiasm until you have actually accomplished something worth noting...winning a water-downed SEC doesn't count. So how many Final Fours have you and your teammates actually participated in? Like your fellow teammates, coaches and fans, you are all talk this days about how good your program used to be and how good it's going to be, but at the current point and time, you are just another UConn wanna-be program!

 

[stwainfan]

When Graves and Harrison were both healthy last year they were pretty good. Now adding Russell will improve the post game.

 

[Stray Cat]

When Graves and Harrison were both healthy last year they were pretty good. Now adding Russell will improve the post game.

In my best Shania Twain singing voice: "That don't impress me much"!!

 

[Icebear]

When Graves and Harrison were both healthy last year they were pretty good. Now adding Russell will improve the post game.

Still a vastly premature comment without evidence and provides great bulletin board material to many opponents. Pretty good isn't near the best front court in BB.

 

[dakotaboy]

hands down? That's a little over the top.

no... that's a little over the Rocky Top... lol

 

[Stray Cat]

no... that's a little over the Rocky Top... lol

It's an altitude thing...I think many LV fans suffer from a lack of oxygen to the brain!

 

[stwainfan]

Still a vastly premature comment without evidence and provides great bulletin board material to many opponents. Pretty good isn't near the best front court in BB.

Maybe I think she is excited about what she has seen so far. Now when the games start we will see how good.

 

[pap49cba]

They're gonna Grind For 9

 

[HuskyFan1125]

I have no problems with teams or players being optimistic about the start of the season.

Just have to see how it all plays out during the season. Although I do like Graves/Harrison in the post. Russell will have her freshman hurdles I'm sure.

Time will tell! Good luck to them!

 

[Icebear]

Maybe I think she is excited about what she has seen so far. Now when the games start we will see how good.

Exactly. It is, also, easy to be excited when the only available yardstick in past performance of the team itself and no external opponents. Teams like MD, Duke, or ND who might want to shove those words down one's throat.

 

[Bestiarius]

Cierra Burdick (U. Tenn.): ''I think hands down we have the best frontcourt in the country."

Er, Sierra, I agree the LVs have been playing with hands down. But in basketball, hands up works better.

 

[doggydaddy]

Maybe I think she is excited about what she has seen so far. Now when the games start we will see how good.

If course she is excited. All players coming into a new season are.

But her statement is just wrong. They have a terrific front court. But UConn's is made up of 2 AA's and one NCAA tourney MVP soon to be AA.

Add in Tuck and Stokes, and really, it shows the bravado being thrown out by Burdick.

You can't possibly believe what she is saying, can you?

 

[UConnCat]

If course she is excited. All players coming into a new season are.

But her statement is just wrong. They have a terrific front court. But UConn's is made up of 2 AA's and one NCAA tourney MVP soon to be AA.

Add in Tuck and Stokes, and really, it shows the bravado being thrown out by Burdick.

You can possibly believe what she is saying, can you?

Front Court players invited to attend USA Senior National Team Training Camp:

UConn: 3
Tenn: 0

I like her confidence; it's just a bit over the top.

 

[stwainfan]

I think the talent is there. There are also a number of things that need to happen. 1 Need to stay healthy. 2 Nia Moore how much has she improved? If she is ready to play a bigger role this year would help with depth. 3 How quickly will Russell adjust? I think pretty fast. I see her better on defense to start off. If those things happen this can be one of the best frontcourts in the country.

 

[doggydaddy]

I think the talent is there. There are also a number of things that need to happen. 1 Need to stay healthy. 2 Nia Moore how much has she improved? If she is ready to play a bigger role this year would help with depth. 3 How quickly will Russell adjust? I think pretty fast. I see her better on defense to start off. If those things happen this can be one of the best frontcourts in the country.

Well, Nia Moore is a back of the bench front line player. She will see minutes in only blowout, which will be many.

I watched Russell on video last night. She is a very good player. But she is slow up and down the court and gets pushed around in the paint. We will have to see how she adapts to the college game.

Harrison has to show she can stay healthy. She definitely has some skills, especially on the defensive side.

I bolded what you said and something I agree with. But Burdicks statement was way over the top.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Yes, I think Burdick is a bit through the lens of rose colored glasses.... but I do admire her bravado..... and in fact have no issue with it...... Good for her.....

Now, the bite I would put on it is that she didn't show up for many games last year at the level which is needed to win the whole enchilada..... let's see how she and the LVs ramp it up this year.

I do find it interesting that Mercedes is put in superstar category before she plays a single minute..... I was on west coast last year, and saw 3 or 4 of her games..... I thought she was good not great....again, we will see

 

[Kibitzer]

er...then that would be "double digets"

So long as we stay healthly cuz we play some tuff opponets